UKC

Quadriplegic Berghaus Ambassador Completes Charity Mount Everest Challenge at Home Press Release

© @thatcameraman

Ed Jackson, Berghaus ambassador and a quadriplegic former professional rugby player, has scaled the height of Mount Everest up his parents' staircase. The Bath resident made the journey of 8,848 metres via 89,056 stairs, or 2,783 trips up and down the same flight of stairs. As Ed stood on the summit of his metaphorical Everest, he had raised over £34,000 for spinal cord research foundation Wings for Life, and NHS affiliated charities, including a donation of £10,000 from Berghaus.

Ed Jackson approaches the 'summit' of his Everest challenge  © @thatcameraman
Ed Jackson approaches the 'summit' of his Everest challenge
© @thatcameraman

Beginning at 8:00am on Tuesday 21 April, Ed finished his journey at 4:30pm on Friday. He spent over eight hours a day climbing the staircase, effectively on one leg due to his Brown-Sequard Syndrome, a neurological condition that results in weakness or paralysis of one side of the body. The former Bath and London Wasps forward, began his 'summit day' effort at 4:00am, with a head torch illuminating the darkness of the corridor, completing 2,168 metres or 10,912 steps.

Although the more dangerous aspects of climbing Mount Everest were absent, the challenge did involve perils such as numerous blisters to Ed's fingers and toes, as well as several avalanches of styrofoam sent his way by his wife and stepmother.

Tricky conditions for Ed Jackson near the summit  © @thatcameraman
Tricky conditions for Ed Jackson near the summit
© @thatcameraman

During the climb, Ed received many messages of encouragement, including a Facetime chat with the UK's most famous mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington just before the final push. Sir Chris expressed his support and admiration for Ed's challenge and spoke about his own experience of reaching the summit of Everest in 1985.

Following Ed's successful climb, donations have continued to pour in and people can still contribute to his fundraising here.

To find out more about the Wings For Life Spinal Cord Research Foundation go to www.wingsforlife.com. For more information on Ed Jackson's incredible journey, listen to the 'How To Be Superhuman' podcast HERE.


About the Wings for Life spinal cord research foundation

Worldwide, millions of people are left as wheelchair users after having sustained a spinal cord injury, most often as the result of a traffic accident or a fall. A spinal cord injury not only impacts the ability to move your limbs; the injury also causes a large number of health-related complications and limitations in daily life. Wings for Life is a not-for-profit spinal cord research foundation with the single mission to find a cure for spinal cord injury. Since 2004, Wings for Life has funded life-changing research projects and clinical trials around the globe, with significant breakthroughs being made. 100% of funds raised for Wings for Life goes directly to spinal cord injury research as all costs are covered by the Red Bull Company. www.wingsforlife.com.




Product News at UKC presents climbing, walking and mountaineering equipment posts that will be of interest to our readers. Please feel free to comment about the post and products on the associated thread.
Loading Notifications...
Facebook Twitter Copy Email